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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26375005">Cephalalgia</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/natsora/pseuds/natsora'>natsora</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Long Road Home [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Massage, Post Season 5, headache, migraines</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:49:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,853</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26375005</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/natsora/pseuds/natsora</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Catra is used to it. It has always been part of her life. She thrives on it. It nourishes her. It is the one constant she can always count on. Pain that is. Besides, it’s just a little fucking headache. She’s endure like she always has. She refuses to be done in by it, she’s stubborn that way. But when she hides away to suffer on her own, Adora arrives to ease the pain a little, and Catra thinks maybe she needn’t endure anymore.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adora/Catra (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Long Road Home [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1916752</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>240</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Cephalalgia</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi, if this is your first time reading my fic. I'm typically a Mass Effect / Mass Effect Andromeda and Dragon age Inquisition writer that enjoys angst and whump. This is mild by my standards so I hope you enjoy it. This is my first She-Ra fic. Maybe I'll write more, fuck knows I have more than enough ideas, just a lack of time.</p><p>Update: Art, yes art, by <a href="https://www.seokanori.com">Seo Kanori</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It hurt. Steel spikes stabbed into her head, hellbent on boring holes all along the circumference of her skull, running from one temple to the next in a complete circle. Catra groaned. Pain had always been a friend — the kind you never want to visit despite being on first name basis with them. She was well versed in all its forms. Quick and sharp — the kind that took her breath away, leaving her gasping for air that wouldn’t come. Drawn out and deep — the kind that dug its claws into her bones and refused to let go, weighing her down for days and weeks on end. Catra had been raised on pain, forced to feed on it like it nourished her soul. It was either that or allowing it break her. And she refused to break.</p><p>The spikes had made it past her skull. Catra could feel them digging into her brain. Her jaw tightened. She clenched her teeth down, refusing to give voice to her pain. This was nothing new — not fucking new at all. Her teeth ground against each other as she curled in a tight ball in bed. Struggling to keep the pain close to her, she vaguely wonder what time it was. She didn’t want to disturb Adora’s sleep. That big idiot had been running herself ragged helping with the reconstruction. Well she had been too, but <em>she</em> knew her limits unlike Adora.</p><p>And right now she had reached hers.</p><p>Her fingers pressed hard against her temples. It felt like they were the only thing that kept her head from splitting apart. As unwilling as she was to take her hands away, she forced one to sweep across the space beside her. It was empty — cold. Peeling one eye opened, the other pressed into the pillow, she confirmed what she already knew — Adora wasn’t here.</p><p>Catra sighed. Her heart sank despite herself, but it was just as well. Adora couldn’t do anything for her. No She-Ra powers was going to fix this. There was nothing wrong with her, but still these headaches came and went as they pleased, plaguing her, punishing her for everything she had done. She’d handle it like she always had, with gritted teeth and clenched fists. These headaches were nothing in the grand scheme of things. She could endure, she would.</p><p>Breathing, that was all she needed to do. Catra could do that. Breathe, simple enough. She inhaled through her nose, nostrils flaring, holding as still as she could lest any slight motion woke the fire in her head. Air filled her lungs and expanded her ribs. Okay, good. Mission accomplished. Now ex-fucking-hale. Mouth slightly ajar, she hissed as air slipped past clenched teeth. All right, now repeat it. Inhale, then exhale.</p><p>Her breath caught in her throat as a fresh spike joined the others. Catra stiffened. Her lungs had forgotten how to work. Tears sprang in her eyes even when she squeezed her eyes shut. A whimper made it past her lips as she wondered when would this end.</p><p>The air shifted around her. The scent of something — someone — familiar wafted over from somewhere by the door. Soap — cheap, common but clean. And something else… Catra had never been able to identify it, but it was a scent she associated with Adora. If she wasn’t embarrassed to admit it, she would say it smelt like sunshine, blue skies and… hope.</p><p>Catra’s lungs finally got the message, and finally worked She panted to catch her breath. Despite feeling Adora’s eyes on her, she didn’t dare open hers. She didn’t want pity, she didn’t want Adora to worry.</p><p>“Does it still hurt?” Adora whispered.</p><p>Catra flinched. For all of Adora’s size, muscles, sword and all, she could move silently if she wanted to. The bed dipped, and a hand brushed against her arm. She forced herself to relax, it did nobody any good if Adora sat here and suffer along with her.</p><p>Catra hummed in reply, her eyes still shut, not daring to speak. Adora’s hand ran up her arm, reaching her shoulder and rested against her face. Catra leaned into it, savouring Adora’s natural warmth. This wasn’t pity, this was comfort and she’d take it.</p><p>“I want to try something.” Adora’s breath close enough that it danced against her skin.</p><p>Catra frowned. She was done with trying. They never worked. It brought her hopes up only to smash it on the ground every single fucking time. Her eyes snapped open, her ears flattened against her head. Adora already had her hands up in a mock surrender. “I know, I know,” she said. “But it’s not what you think. It’s not She-Ra powers, it’s not magic, it’s not anything like that.”</p><p>“Then, what is it?” Catra rasped, her voice rough with disuse. How long had she been hiding away in their room. She glanced at the shadows on the walls, there were none. Had she lost the entire day to this fucking headache? Anger flared in her gut, and her claws extended.</p><p>Adora’s eyes widened a fraction, but she didn’t move away. Catra breathed, her pulse drummed louder and louder against her temples. Teeth bared, she fought against her own impulse to lash out. She would master her temper if it killed her. She had changed, she wasn’t the same person anymore. Stubborn — that was what she was, too fucking stubborn to roll over and die. Bit by bit, her heart rate stabilised, her claws retracted.</p><p>“Fuck,” Catra whispered, half in apology, half in frustration.</p><p>“It’s okay,” Adora said, shifting her weight slowly so that Catra could wrap her arms around Adora’s middle.</p><p>Having Adora near helped. The headache though still present — raking its claws across her skull with every breath she took — was now bearable. That was enough. Catra turned and pressed her face into Adora’s hand, breathing in her scent.</p><p>Though Adora sat with her, still and silent, Catra could feel her vibrating with a need to speak, to do something. This blonde dumbass wasn’t going to relax until she got whatever it was off her chest.</p><p>“What is it you wanted to try?” Catra asked, deadpanned.</p><p>Adora pulled her hand away and already she felt bereft. She didn’t want Adora to leave, not really.</p><p>“A massage.” Adora’s eyes were so bright, so eager.</p><p>Catra sighed, feeling exhausted just watching her. “We’re tried that already.” She wanted to listen, she really did, but the talking, the need to concentrate on the words had frayed what little endurance she had left.</p><p>Adora forged on, her hands danced between them as she gestured excitedly. “But not this,” she insisted.</p><p>Catra stared at Adora skeptically. It sounded less likely to work than the magic potions did. “I don’t think—” One of the spikes found her brain. Electricity coursed from her head down her spine and through her body. She stiffened, eyes squeezed shut, unable to think, let alone speak.</p><p>Adora’s breath hitched and she rubbed her hands over Catra’s arms. The contact, the closeness reminded Catra she wasn’t alone. She wasn’t trapped back in the Fright Zone or under the thrall of Horde Prime. Inch by inch, she opened her eyes again, but just barely. “Okay.”</p><p>“Okay?” Adora blinked. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. It just hurts me to see you like this. I wish I can do something other than come up with stupid ideas. I was so desperate that I’ve asked Razz for advice.”</p><p>“I’ll try it.”</p><p>Adora ran a hand through Catra’s hair. She sighed and looked at Adora. Their gaze met. One bright, steadfast and so fucking earnest, the other tired, pain glazed and exhausted. “Let’s do it,” Catra whispered. “What’s the worse that could happen?”</p><p>Adora smiled and it lit up her face instantly. With a course of action, she didn’t look so lost and sad anymore. She was always a woman that needed something to do. Standing up, Adora made to carry Catra, but she shrank back. “Where are you taking me?”</p><p>“Oh no, we’re not going anywhere, I just need you to lie on top of me.”</p><p>Catra stared at Adora dubiously. “Sure.” Razz’ remedies tended in the direction of the unbelievable anyway.</p><p>Catra rolled to the other side of the bed, and Adora slipped under the covers. She sat with her legs stretched out in front of her. “Come on,” she coaxed.</p><p>With a grimace, Catra shifted so that she lay on top of Adora. Her head rested against Adora’s abs and her arms lay flat beside her, their legs intertwined. Adora was warm. A smile tugged at the corners of Catra’s mouth. If this was Razz’ remedy, it wasn’t half bad already. Even if it did nothing for her headache, Catra got to cuddle with Adora, and that was plenty nice.</p><p>But Adora wasn’t done. She rubbed her hands together, warming them up. She looked at Catra. “Ready?”</p><p>Catra shrugged as much as she was able to in that position. Adora took hold of her ears and Catra pulled away instantly. Her head hated it, and she groaned into Adora’s abs. “Catra, Catra, shit. I should have warned you. I’m so sorry.”</p><p>“Yeah, a little warning would be great,” Catra hissed.</p><p>When she managed to uncurl and repositioned herself again, Adora stared at her, waiting for her signal. Catra nodded. Adora’s fingers were gentle, taking a firm hold on her ears. It felt weird — a warm solid pressure against her velvety ears. Then, it shifted. A backwards and forwards motion running the entire length of her ears, an even pressure between the insides and the outsides. It sent a tingling sensation towards her head. Catra held herself stiffly, waiting for it to all come apart again. But it never did. Instead, the spikes withdrew, the holes closed up, the fire banked to a dull throb. A ton of weight slid off her shoulders and neck.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
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</div><p>“You’re purring,” Adora said, grinning.</p><p>“I am?” Catra felt it now that Adora had pointed it out. A vibration ran from her chest down her belly to her toes. She <em>was</em> purring. Her eyes sagged shut. With the tension easing, exhaustion crashed over her like a wave.</p><p>“Thank you,” Adora whispered, her fingers moving from tip to end, still doing their miraculous work on Catra’s ears.</p><p>“For what?” Catra asked with her eyes closed, her arms wrapped around Adora’s middle. She had decided this was the best way to sleep, and she wasn’t going to take any criticisms — not that she’d admit it. “I didn’t do anything. I was just a shitty little person, hiding away.”</p><p>“For trusting me,” Adora replied.</p><p>Catra could hear the grin in Adora’s voice even with her eyes closed. She didn’t replied, but tightened her hug around Adora. That had to be answer enough when the lump in her throat refused to shift. How could she be this lucky? Everyone knew, she had fucked things over enough that she didn’t deserved this. As sleep took Catra, she felt lips pressed against the top of her head. And Adora’s voice whispering, “I love you.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Got inspired by <a href="https://justcatposts.tumblr.com/post/621856467152240640/sometimes-we-all-just-need-a-good-ear-massage">this</a>, I couldn’t help myself.</p><p>Hit me up on my <a href="https://natsora.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>. Kudos and comments are always welcome!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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